Machine for cleaning the matrices of typesetting machines



. 1936- I E. ALBRECHT 2,056,159 MACHINE ro'li CLEANING THE mg'mrqzs 0F-nrmsm'nm moms Filed June 21:, 1954 s shuts-sheet 1 FIG. 9.

in zren 20 r.-

Oc t. 6, 1936. E. ALBRECHT I 2,056,159

MACHINE FOR CLEANING THE MATRICES OF TYPESETTING MACHINES Oct. 6, 1936.

E. ALBRECHT MACHINE FOR CLEANING THE MATRICES OF TYPESETTI NG MACHINESFiied June 20, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 4 I6 I l0 l7 8a Patented Get. 6,1936 MACHINE FOR GLEANING MATRICES F TYPESETTING Ernst Albrecht, Berlin,Germany Application June 20, 1934, .Serial N0. 731,445 In Germany June27, .1933

Claims.

This invention relates to a machine for cleaning the matrices of typesettingmachines and of the kind wherein the matrices are made to travelpast rotary brushes which efiect the cleaning by 5 means of a suitablecleaning fluid, .for instance benzine or the like.

The object of the invention is tobbtain a machine of this kind which isof simple construction, easy to supervise, and reliablein its operation,and the invention consists essentially in the provision of a pair ofparallelfeed screws to which the matrices are delivered one by one from.a pile and from which they are led between emllcss travelling dryingbands to an assembler, rotary brushes being provided some of which acton the pile for cleaning the edges of the matrices, while others operateover a guideway between the feed screws for cleaning the faces thereof,and means being provided for reversing the matrices on the guideway soas to present first one and then the other face to the brushes.

, Fig. 1 of the accompanying'drawingsrepresents a side view of a machineconstructed according to the invention,

Fig. 2 is an end view of the same,

Fig. 3 is a plan View of the machine,

Fig. 4 represents an edge view. and a .plan view of one of the matrices.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, sectio lrside view of the machine on anenlarged scale,

1 Fig. 6 is a corresponding plan view,

Fig. '7 is an enlarged side View ofthe drying .and assembling mechanism,

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary, sectional view cf the device for ejecting thematrices from the. pile,

and.

Fig. 9 is a section on the line IX-IX of Fig. 8.

The devicecomprises a table top 2 which is supported by legs l and whichcarries in suitable bearings two parallel, horizontal feed screws 3| and32 adapted to receive the matrices between them and to move saidmatrices along a guideway 39 by the engagement of the screw threads withthe ears of the matrices. Each screw is provided with two threads 35 and36 one of which is narrower than the other, and the threads are out andpitched so that wide spaces are provided for the reception of the longears 31 of the matrices, and narrow spaces for the reception of theshort ears 38 thereof. One screw has right hand and the other left handscrew thread, and the screws are rotated by intermeshing gears 33 inopposite directions and towards the matrices so as to urge the latteragainst the guideway.

Rotary brushes 4? and 48, driven by means of belt pulleys 49 and 50, arearranged over the guideway .359. for cleaning the faces of thematrices-means being provided for reversing the matrices on the*guideway so that first one and then the other face of each matrix will:be exposed 5 to the brushes. This reversal is eifiected through themedium .of .a forked .arm M which is pivotally supported at 42 betweensupporting brackets 43 some distance above the .guideway and which bearswith its free, forkedandhooked end against 10 the guideway. The latteris termed with slots 416 in which the hooks M .of the arm normallyengage. On the hooks being engaged bythe leading end members 0f.:atravelling matrix; the arm 44 will be turned about its pivots -42, asshown by dotted lines in Fig. 5., the matrix being at the same timeturned over in the vertical, longitudinalplane of the :guideway anddeposited on the latter with the opposite .face in position to becleaned by .the next brush. Inprder to. facilitate .the reversal of thematrices, the space between the screw threads is widened tor about 34 ofthe circumference of the screw at the point where the reversal takesplace.

The matrices are delivered *on to the 'guideway 39 from a pile locatedin a magazine 6.. The latterhas a vertical guide member .l. whichisribbed in conformity with the notches in the recessed ends of thematrices. The pile is supported at the bottom of the magazine by spacedledges Ill and ll on which the lowermost matrix :rests by means of itsears, :as shown in Fig. 9, and cfi which :it is slid on tothe guideway39.. This is effected by means :of a reciprocating slide l4 and aapawll2 which latter :is pivoted atxlt to the slide and .supportedhy :aspring :li5 in position .to en gage and eject the lowermost matrix fromthe pile on the slide being reciprocated. A plate 8 arranged in acentral position in the magazine and in a vertical plane, serves as adetent for the matrix next above the one to be ejected. The free end ofthe plate is reduced as shown at 8a. and adapted to engage in the groove9 in the ejected matrix for guiding the latter until it is slid off theledges. The pawl I2 is provided with laterally projecting studs I6adapted to engage the bevelled ends of bevelled guide rails ll, formedby the lower edges of the walls of the magazine 6, for depressing thepawl and preventing the latter from coming into contact with any but thelowermost matrix of the pile. There is also a guide member 29 which ispivoted at 28 to the back of the magazine and arranged so as to bedeflected by the ejected matrices in opposition to a spring 30. In itsturn the guide member der presses the matrix and ensures a correctpositioning thereof between the feed screws.

The slide I4 is reciprocated by means of an arm I 9 which is rockedabout a centre I8 through the medium of a rod 20 which bears under thepressure of a spring 20 against a cam 2|. The latter is driven by gears34 from one of the feed screws, so that the movement of the latter willbe synchronized with the matrix ejecting slide I4.

The magazine 6 is open so that the edges of the matrices can be cleanedwhile the matrices pass through the magazine. This cleaning is ef-'fected by means of brushes 22 arranged one at each side of the magazine.The brushes are carried by slides 23 in a support 24 andare adjustableby means of screw spindles '25." A similar arrangement is employed, asshown in Fig. l, I for adjusting the brushes 4? and 48 relative to theguideway 39. The brushes 22 are rotated through the medium of conicalgears 26 and a belt pulley 21.

The cleaning brushes are fed with benzine, for instance by hand, and asubsequent wiping and drying of the matrices is therefore required. Thiswiping and drying process is eifected through the medium of a pair ofco-operating, endless, travelling bands 55 and 56, one guided on rollersand 52 and the other, on rollers 53 and 54, all arranged under the tabletop-2. The feed screws deliver the matrices into a chute 45 whence theyare led through a channel 46 into position for being received betweenthe drying bands. The lower band moves over a rigid supporting surface51, and the upper band is pressed against the lower band by a plate 58which is suspended from links 59 and preferably controlled by a spring59, so that the matrices will be clamped between the bands. The latterare moved at different speeds, so that a rubbing and wiping action willtake place whereby the matrices will be delivered from the bands in dryand perfectly clean condition. An electric heating element 6| may beemployed for heating either the plate 58 or the supporting surface 57. Atensioning roller 62 may be provided for the lower band 56, and a pressroller 5la may be arranged to bear against the upper roller 5| in orderto ensure a uniform movement.

The drying bands deliver the cleaned matrices through a chute. 63 into acontainer 66 wherein they are assembled. The container is provided witha plurality of compartments 65 all of which can, by a shifting of thecontainer, be brought into receiving position. I In the arrangementshown, the container is supported by means of rollers on inclined rails12 and has a tendency to move down the track thus produced. A catchlever 69, which is controlled by a spring 10, is

adapted to engage in a rack 'H in the container for arresting the latterwith any one of the compartments in receiving position. The matrices arepacked endwise in the container by means of a star wheel 64, eachcompartment having a slidable partition 6'! which recedes in proportionas the packing progresses. As the partition reaches the end of thecompartment, it strikes against and rocks the lever 69, first to releasethe container which therefore shifts into the next position wherein itis re-arrested by the catch. The action is repeated for eachcompartment. The par "tition of the last compartment may be adapted tooperate an electric switch for stopping the machine when the compartmentis full.

I claim:

1. A machine for cleaning the matrices of type setting machinescomprising an elongated guideway, means for feeding the matrices in asingle file along said guideway, means arranged midway of the endsof theguideway for reversing the matrices on .the latter in the verticallongitudinal plane thereof, and brushes arranged above the guideway forcleaning the faces of the matrices before and after the reversalthereof.

2. A machine for cleaning the matrices of type setting machines,comprising an elongated guideway, means for feeding the matrices one byone on to said guideway, a pair of feed screws having threads pitched inconformity with the matrix ears, said screws being arranged at oppositesides of the guideway and operative to engage the matrices and feed themforwards, means arranged midwayof the end of the guideway for reversingthe matrices on the latter in the vertical longitudinal plane thereof,and brushes arranged above the guideway for cleaning the faces of thematrices before and after the reversal thereof.

3..A machine as claimed in claim 2 wherein the matrix reversing meanscomprises an arm pivotally suspended above the guideway and adapted toturn in the vertical longitudinal plane of the latter, and a hook at thefree end of the arm normally maintained in the path of the matrices andoperative to engage the leading ends thereof and turn the matrices inthe plane of movement of the arm.

4. A machine as claimed in claim 2 wherein the matrices are reversed bymovement about one pair of ears and wherein the space between thethreads of the feed screws is widened at the reversing point forfacilitating the reversal.

5. A machine as claimed in claim 2 wherein the feed screws are operativeto urge the matrices against the guideway.

ERNST ALBRECHT.

